Predictions for January 2009

[cachan]

GM, JB, Thanks for the enlightenment !

[PhilD]

Oh, sorry, I missed the link, and do you know what happened at Tean in the Scilly Isles ?

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Apparently the chef left Tean too. From JournalLive:

Newcastle-born Kenny Atkinson, who earlier this year earned the Scilly Isles their first Michelin star for good food, will join Seaham Hall’s acclaimed White Room restaurant on August 1.

...

Mr Atkinson, who attained a Michelin star in only his first full season at the Tean Restaurant on St Martin’s, 28 miles off the UK mainland, won the coveted accolade for his locally sourced modern British dishes. Under Michelin rules the star stays with the restaurant, not the chef, however. So both Seaham Hall’s White Room and the Tean will retain their Michelin status until the new guide is published next year.

And Seaham Hall seem to have retained their star.

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Doesn't it depend on cut off dates. If the chef leaves prior to the close date for the guide then the chances are that the star won't stay. If the chef changes post cut off (late October) then the star stays, but only because the printing presses are already running. Stars don't "stick" to either restaurants or chefs, they stick with the complete package. Any big change late in the year will result in lost stars, changes early in the year give enough time for the restaurant to be assessed.

[ginger chef]

kenny (my old sous) moved in august and had various inspections whilst at seaham, scilly isles closed at the end of october and also had various inspections, kenny maintained the star for seaham but tean lost theirs. Kenny i believe will also be representing the northeast in GBM . simon

[Gary Marshall]

Stars don't "stick" to either restaurants or chefs, they stick with the complete package.

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well evidence would suggest not, there's plenty of 1* places especially who obviously have the accoutrements and 'complete package' to be starred but the chef goes and they lose it.

a local (to me) example

simon gueller wins a star at rascasse, leaves - they lose star, opens guellers - wins star, leaves guellers - they lose star, starts at box tree ilkley (previously 2* but now no star) within few months of opening - wins star.

so it's not the chef?

[food1]

Completely agree with Garys last comments. I to feel once a chef as got a star, then he/she seems to keep it pretty much regardless. There are several restaurants I firmly believe should not have a star but they get doled out year in, year out. Or as Gary suggests they simply seem to move with chef. I honestly don't know now what Michelin really is all about, as its obvious theres far more to it than whats on the plate. I aslo agree with Micheal Caines comments that chefs will soon lose hope of ever being able to attain star status. It seems to be almost a lottery.

[PhilD]

Stars don't "stick" to either restaurants or chefs, they stick with the complete package.

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well evidence would suggest not, there's plenty of 1* places especially who obviously have the accoutrements and 'complete package' to be starred but the chef goes and they lose it.

a local (to me) example

simon gueller wins a star at rascasse, leaves - they lose star, opens guellers - wins star, leaves guellers - they lose star, starts at box tree ilkley (previously 2* but now no star) within few months of opening - wins star.

so it's not the chef?

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I probably should have phrased it better. Agree the star goes if the chef goes, but the new restaurant still needs to deliver. Isn't Hibiscus an example? It's two stars didn't simply travel with Claude.

[ulterior epicure]

I probably should have phrased it better. Agree the star goes if the chef goes, but the new restaurant still needs to deliver. Isn't Hibiscus an example? It's two stars didn't simply travel with Claude.

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Neither did "Ramsay's" two at Petrus go with him. But I suppose everyone had acknowledged that Wareign was the "real" chef there anyway.

[Harters]

Isn't Hibiscus an example? It's two stars didn't simply travel with Claude.

Not sure if that's the case, Phil.

I thought the two stars had gone with Claude from Ludlow to London as it was, in effect, simply a relocation to different premises. Of course, he then lost one this time last year.

[PhilD]

Isn't Hibiscus an example? It's two stars didn't simply travel with Claude.

Not sure if that's the case, Phil.

I thought the two stars had gone with Claude from Ludlow to London as it was, in effect, simply a relocation to different premises. Of course, he then lost one this time last year.

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John - IIRC they opened in London September '07 and got the first star in Jan '08, then two stars this Jan. There was a healthy debate at the time, arguing that because he had moved the whole restaurant including FOH then it should have retained the two stars from Ludlow rather than needing to "re-qualify". Hence my comment that it is a combination of chef and restaurant - he needed to demonstrate the new restaurant worked as well as the old one in order to get his stars confirmed.

[BertieWooster]

Stars don't "stick" to either restaurants or chefs, they stick with the complete package.

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well evidence would suggest not, there's plenty of 1* places especially who obviously have the accoutrements and 'complete package' to be starred but the chef goes and they lose it.

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I think there's also a bit of leeway given to places that lose their chefs. Example being the Devonshire. Wignall goes, they take three-four months to make a new appointment, so it loses its star. Once SMith is up and running, first opportunity it gets its star back. NOw, I think the food is better than under WIgnall (but more my taste) and is certainly deserved (especially as they shed the appalling maitre d' to Amerdale House), but its probably no better than a host of other places. Having had a star already seemed to make the inspectors more willing to issue one again.

Your example of Gueller also had him going to a previously one-starred place. The INspectors were attuned to both chef and venue being previously starred, so its easy to award one. And they now, after a couple of years, finally deserve it!

[tony h]

Caught between meetings I decided to kill time with lunch at l’autre pied. v curious to see what’s happen now its got a star. I kept with the lunch menu:

Starters: onion & sage soup or salmon

Mains: roast pork belly or vegetarian risotto

Puds: hot valrhona custard or cheese

Less than £20 for 3 courses – not too bad & certainly I've had some very good lunches here in the past.

I chose soup – well – what can I say. Wasn’t entirely horrible but certainly wasn’t joyful eating it – what were they thinking? Very unpleasant musty under-taste & buggered if I could detect any sage.

Pork belly was superb – came with little roast potato slices, some mashed carrots & sweed plus a lovely sticky gelatinous sauce with some green beans on the side which totally covered in butter (the only negative point).

Never really got to try puds – my bladder was getting to the size of a football and needed emptying & the gents were bust. The wash hand basin was broken - they offered antibacterial wipes instead. Hmm… just want I need – pissy smelling fingers while eating… so I left in search of a loo. ‘guess they got a star before the michelin guys tried the soup and needed a pee

The MD was slouching around the place – I think he’s the one from “The Restaurant” – sans hair & sans personality (& now sans loo). Some other restaurateurs (I think) seemed to occupy various tables. Overheard him telling one lot they they are seriously trying to position Pied a Terre for third star but a bit stumped as there’s no clear guidelines. So – I’m not alone in how Michelin decide stars.

I’m sure today was a temp glich – it has been good in the past.

[Basildog]

we ' re closed , i'm in training for the bocuse d'Or . reopen the brasserie on tues    as for retention its just water i tell people

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Well done on the 10th place ! ! i loved the qoute in last weeks caterer about "not looking a dick"